Knoxville: 3 arrested after couple beaten to death, home set on fire

Knoxville: 3 arrested after couple beaten to death, home set on fire

August 19th, 2011by The Knoxville News Sentinel in Local - Breaking News

Three suspects were arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of a North Knoxville couple who were beaten with a hammer during the theft of pain pills and jewelry the night before and left inside as their home was set on fire, a police spokesman said.

On Thursday, Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk identified the man found just inside the door of his 100 Tower Drive home Tuesday night as Eric Marsh, 45, who worked for an Alcoa plastics firm.

The victim's wife, identified in court records as Dena Baisden Marsh, was found in a back bedroom. She had turned 40 two days earlier. The couple had married in April, according to Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch.

"Both victims died after being beaten with a hammer," DeBusk said Thursday. He said the hammer had been recovered in the Tower Drive home.